It’s a new issue and a new zone as we get to see what the second of the thirteen distinct zones of the new United States of America is really like. Gone are the desert nightmares of Destiny, and in is the technological perfection that is Unity. Our intrepid group has escaped the clutches of the Destiny Man and made their way into the next zone, one that eschews the plains for the beloved landscapes of the Northwest, and with it the return of a familiar face.

After the harrowing events for Daniel, Charlotte, Ace, and the rest of the Alliance searching for the cure to the deadly Sky Virus – all while navigating the treacherous “Spiral,” a new path may take them through the thirteen zones. In Unity, the team is brought into the well-known city of living technology – a place that has fully melded biology with technical engineering, allowing for every animal, tree, and blade of grass to be a part of a digital ecosystem that encompasses perfect balance. This zone looks incredible, but for a few members of our team, there are some pretty major revelations that come from finding themselves in a new place, with many more questions than answers.

Usually, I’ve started off these reviews by speaking about the story and the writers, but with this issue, I really feel like the art takes center stage. Guiseppe Camuncoli and Leonardo Marcello Grassi have developed this incredible landscape of melded technology and biology, creating a beautiful fusion of flesh and data. There is such an interesting design to this city, and it’s something I can’t wait to see more of. Adding to this are the swaths of stark white and blue tones by colorist Matt Wilson, bringing a clean and crisp design to this new part of the world.

With that, it’s time to return to writers Scott Snyder and Charles Soule, who have crafted an incredibly interesting tale so far. Through these eight issues, we’ve seen different styles and crafts, and with the real world so full of strife that it’s interesting to see a world that so parallels our own. Even if it was unintentional, it feels like a perfect time to be reading this series, as we can escape from the world around us while still feeling tethered to it. We can use this series to help us cope, help us learn and live, even if it only draws certain feeling of familiarity.

Series like this are important, not only because of what is put inside of the pages, but also the meaning put behind them. During a time when this series has drifted further from fantasy and closer to mimicking our own world, the creators of have used their platform to help the world around them, promoting and assisting movements that are helping to produce change in the world, something that is heartwarming to see. With a story that is full of different types of people from all over the world, it’s good to see the creators get behind a movement that these characters would likely support.

Creative Team: Charles Soule, Scott Snyder (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli, Leonardo Marcello Grassi, Matt Wilson (artists)
Publisher: Image Comics
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